Toilet protector and protection method

ABSTRACT

A protective device is provided in which the protective device comprises a bag configured to fit over a toilet to be protected. An opening in the bag permits placement of the bag over a toilet, and a securing feature can be used to secure the bag to the toilet. In certain embodiments, the securing feature comprises a drawstring. In other embodiments, the bag may comprise printed text, such as a warning not to use the protected fixture. In yet other embodiments, small holes can be provided in the bag for safety purposes. A protected toilet is also provided, in which a toilet is protected by a protective device, as discussed above. A method of protecting a toilet is also provided, in which a bag is placed over a toilet and secured to the toilet.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S.Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/578,741, filed on Jun. 10, 2004, thedisclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to protective covers for fixtures.

2. Description of the Related Art

There are many situations where preventing the use of an installed oruninstalled toilet is warranted. In a residential or commercialconstruction environment, construction debris may be improperly flusheddown the toilet, resulting in clogged pipes. During residentialconstruction projects, it is common for homeowners to tour their homewhile it is under construction. During such a visit, homeowners areoften very offended if they see that the toilet has been used by someoneelse. It is not uncommon for the warranty department of a builder to geta call on Monday morning after a weekend of visitors to the project,asking that all of the toilets in one or more houses be removed andreplaced. The builder will commonly respect these wishes and replacethem.

Even in non-construction environments, a toilet may be inoperable, ahome or business owner may wish to keep a particular toilet reserved forcertain people or events, the toilet may be damaged or clogged, or thewater supply may not be working properly.

Thus, an inexpensive and attractive method of preventing toilet usewould be useful.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, a protected toilet is provided, including a plasticbag having an opening, the bag placed over the toilet with the openingproximate to a base of said toilet.

In another embodiment, a method of protecting a toilet is provided,including placing an opening of a bag over a toilet, the bag beingconfigured to fit over the toilet, positioning the bag such that thetoilet is substantially covered by the bag; and securing the bag to thetoilet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A shows a front view of an embodiment of a bag suitable forfixture protection.

FIG. 1B shows a side view of an embodiment of a bag suitable for fixtureprotection, shown in an unexpanded state.

FIG. 1C shows an embodiment of a gusset suitable for use on a panel ofthe

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the bag of FIG. 1 in an expanded andopen configuration.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the bag of FIG. 1 over a toilet.

FIG. 4 illustrates the opening of a bag comprising a drawstring aroundthe base of the toilet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following detailed description is directed to certain specificembodiments of the invention. However, the invention can be embodied ina multitude of different ways. In this description, reference is made tothe drawings wherein like parts are designated with like numeralsthroughout.

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a plastic bag 10 in accordance with oneembodiment of the invention. The bag 10 comprises a bottom opening 12,which may advantageously be provided with a drawstring 14 for closure.The use of a drawstring enables the creation of a bag which can beeasily secured in place while adding very little additional material,and therefore very little weight.

The bag 10 may be seamless, or may include side and top seams. Incertain advantageous embodiments, the bag is provided with pleats orgussets on either or both the top and sides. Such embodiments permitbags 10 to be stored in a compressed, or unexpanded, state, as shown inFIG. 1B. An exemplary gusset 22 is depicted in FIG. 1C. With gussetedtop and sides, the bag may open up into an approximate shape. In certainembodiments, the bag may open up into a rectangular shape having a sizeof about 2′ to 4′ in each dimension. This is illustrated in FIG. 2,which shows the bag of FIG. 1 after being opened and expanded with thegussets 16, 18. In other embodiments, particularly those in whichfixtures other than toilets are being protected, the dimensions of theopen bag can be modified as appropriate.

The bag 10 could be formed from clear or colored plastic. The bag 10could be made in a wide variety of thicknesses. In certain embodiments,the bag may have a thickness of less than about 2 mil. In someembodiments, the bag is provided with small holes to limit any possibleasphyxiation danger. It will be appreciated that such a bag can be madedisposable, easy to manufacture, and inexpensive.

In some embodiments, printing 20 to provide information may be placed onone or more surfaces of the bag 10. The printing could be in multiplelanguages, such as both English and Spanish. Preferably, the printing iscentered in such a way that when the bag is in operation it is clear andeasy to read. Appropriate printing/messages/warnings and the like aresignificant features of some embodiments of the invention. A clearindication of limitations on toilet use on the bag over the toilet cansignificantly reduce improper toilet use even more so than a bag havingno printed messages concerning use limitations.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the bag 10 may be placed neatly over thetoilet 24 by placing the opening 12 over the toilet and pulling the bag10 over the tank and bowl sections. Some embodiments of the bag 10 mayinclude a slit or other opening on the rear surface so the water supplypipe to the toilet does not interfere with pulling the bag all the wayover the toilet and to the floor.

The bag 10 could be cinched using tape, drawstring, rubber bands orcabletie around the bottom of the toilet as shown in FIG. 4. Therefore,the bag 10 is very easy to install and remove, and can be placed overmany different sizes and styles of toilet. In one embodiment, the bagcan be cinched by a plastic drawstring having a thickness of less thanabout 2 mil. In embodiments in which a slit or other opening is providedon the rear surface of the bag 10, a drawstring or other appropriatesecuring method can be tied together to secure the two loose ends of thebag to one another, providing additional protection.

In alternate embodiments, the lower portion of the bag may comprise aweighted trim, so as to help secure the bag in place, or the opening mayinclude no features designed to hold the bag in place. The appropriatedesign will vary based on the intended use of the bag. For instance, inembodiments in which the bag is to be used both as protection for anunderlying fixture and a signal that the underlying fixture is not to beused, such as at a construction site, a drawstring or similar featurewill provide additional protection. In embodiments in which the bag ismerely used as a signal, such protection may not be necessary, and nosecuring features at the bag opening will be necessary.

From the above discussion, it will be appreciated that larger sizes ofbags constructed in the same or similar fashion could be used to protectother items from being marked by paint or stucco. Other objects such aspower distribution transformers, cable TV boxes, telephone spliceconnections, and similar utility distribution apparatus, all are aboveground boxes requiring extra cleaning or repainting after a constructionphase is complete in order to maintain the project in as clean and newlooking condition as possible. If a protective bag were to be placedover the item at the time of installation, this extra work would not beneeded. It will be understood that embodiments of protective covers mayinclude bags of any appropriate dimensions, and that additionalfeatures, such as slits or openings as discussed above, may be used toprovide the appropriate level of protection

1. A protected toilet comprising a plastic bag having an opening, saidbag placed over said toilet with said opening proximate to a base ofsaid toilet.
 2. The protected toilet of claim 1, wherein said bagcomprises a drawstring configured to hold said bag to said base.
 3. Theprotected toilet of claim 1, wherein said bag comprises gussets tofacilitate bag fit over and around said toilet.
 4. The protected toiletof claim 1, wherein said bag comprises printed text in a locationproximate to the front of the toilet such that said text is easilyreadable.
 5. The protected toilet of claim 4, wherein said printed textcomprises a limitation on toilet use.
 6. A method of protecting atoilet, comprising: placing an opening of a bag over a toilet, said bagbeing configured to fit over the toilet; positioning the bag such thatthe toilet is substantially covered by said bag; and securing the bag tothe toilet.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein securing the bag to thetoilet comprises using a drawstring to secure said bag to said toilet.8. The method of claim 6, wherein securing the bag to the toiletcomprises using a rubber band to secure said bag to said toilet.
 9. Themethod of claim 6, wherein securing the bag to the toilet comprisesusing adhesive tape to secure said bag to said toilet.
 10. The method ofclaim 6, wherein securing the bag to the toilet comprises using a cabletie to secure said bag to said toilet.
 11. The method of claim 6,wherein positioning said bag such that the toilet is substantiallycovered by said bag comprises aligning a slit in said bag with afeature.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein said feature comprises awater supply pipe.
 13. The method of claim 6, additionally comprisingexpanding the bag from a compressed state prior to placing the openingof the bag over the toilet.